Father charged with putting 6-week-old daughter in freezer

Roy
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The 25-year-old Washington state man appeared in court after it was alleged he put the newborn in a freezer to stop her from crying.

Tyler James Deutsch appeared in court yesterday where bail was set at $1 million. If he makes bail, he cannot have contact with his six-week-old daughter, her mother, or go near the family home.

Although originally arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, Deutsch faces charges of first-degree child assault, criminal mistreatment of a child and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence.

The alleged incident took place on Saturday. According to police, the baby's 22-year-old mother did not trust Deutsch to be alone with the baby. For the first time since she was born, the baby was left with her father on Saturday after her mother went out and was gone for about 90 minutes.

After the woman returned home, she found Deutsch asleep and the six-week-old in the freezer. According to the mother, the child was fully clothed when she left the family's trailer but was wearing only a diaper when placed in the freezer.

The mother tried to call 911, but Deutsch prevented her from calling, saying he didn't want to get into trouble. The mother managed to contact a neighbour who called police.

A thermometer in the freezer indicated the temperature was 10 degrees F. The baby's body temperature when rescued was 84 degrees. Her skin was blistered and she was rushed to hospital. After she arrived, doctors noticed she had a broken arm, broken leg and head injuries.

The infant is expected to survive although her exact prognosis is unknown at this time.

A tentative trial date has been set for July 15. If convicted, Deutsch could be jailed for life.